1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to expandable decks for the manufacture of tubular assemblies.
More particularly, this invention pertains to fully supported expandable decks for the manufacture of tubular assemblies.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manufacture of tires, for example, tires are generally built on cylindrical decks. The decks are expandable from a closed position, having a minimal diameter, to a fully expanded position. Locking mechanisms are provided so that the deck is usable for the manufacture of a variety of different sizes of tires.
Prior decks have employed plates having interwoven “fingers” which leave increasingly larger gaps as adjacent plates are moved apart to define a larger diameter for the deck. The outboard ends of the “fingers” are unsupported. As a result of the lack of support, when the deck is spun, at high speeds, centrifugal force causes the fingers to extend outwardly from the deck. In addition fingers can distort inwardly when tire components are consolidated on the expanded deck, potentially causing non-uniform tires. Non-uniform tires are unacceptable from noise and vibration standpoints.
It is generally desirable to use a single deck to build the largest variety of sizes of tires as possible with simple adjustments rather than replacement or addition of equipment to the deck. Prior decks have generally been limited to a diameter range. Prior efforts to provide expanded diameters on a single tire building apparatus have included attaching an additional deck upon the original deck to provide larger diameters. However, this does require additional apparatus, which takes additional time and cost for an operator to change.